Lord of Nature
by firewings27
Summary: An disturbance in Camelot led the prince into thinking about magic. AU. pre-season1. Two-shot.
1. Chapter 1

It was an unusual late morning as Prince Arthur was called to the throne room via servant, claiming that the whole of Camelot was in danger and the prince and all of his knights had to come immediately.

Armour and chainmail still muddy and hair dripping wet, Arthur led his charge of knights following him with billowing, red cloaks down the hallway. When the doors of the throne room came into his sight, the blonde prince had to keep himself from fully stopping, though there was a slight falter in his steps he couldn't hide.

There were six guards, three on each side of the big, oaken double doors, and each of them held onto their standard pike and unusually enough each of them had a sword as well as a dagger strapped to their belts. It was a most uncommon and not to say disconcerting sight.

Arthur, being the prince he was, let nothing of his inner turmoil show on his face as he let a mask of cold indifference fall over his face as well as his thoughts. But deep inside him he felt uneasy and asked himself as to why his father deemed it necessary to show such grand military presence.

Accepting a towel from another servant, who already waited for him, he quickly whipped his face as well as his hair. It wasn't complete dry but it had to suffice, as even when he was the prince of Camelot he still ranked lower than the king.

And a king, as everybody knows, does _not_ like it to wait for anyone.

When the prince of Camelot entered the grand room he ignored the horde of knights and also the members of court and strode to his father sitting on the throne. Nobody could tell, but the tall blonde measured each step carefully and forced himself to breathe slower and more relaxed. He looked at his father and gave a court nod to his king and stood to his right, his hand loosely resting on the pommel of his sword.

The whole atmosphere was tense, not an obvious one, but one that was underlying creeping through the whole room and filling it up making even the air nearly unbreathable. It was at a time like this that the prince found himself frustrated at not being able to ask his father directly, and therefore undermining the kings authority indirectly, why he was disturbed at the training grounds.

A prince mustn't question his king it is as simple as that.

Arthur had a hunch that two things, and only two things alone, begged for such a great show of strength: first a _trial_ of a powerful or well-known sorcerer, or someone who committed treason or worse, high treason. Arthur shuddered, his damp armour and padding did nothing to make the situation better.

But the young prince tended to think about the first option as he noticed a mixture of short and not to say scared looks the gathered crowd shot the high dais of the royals.

"Lords and knights of Camelot!" Uther Pendragon, king of Camelot addressed the room. "It was brought to me, that a patrol caught a suspicious person in the forests of Denaria not far from The Valley of the Fallen Kings. He later on showed the use of exceptional strong magic and is held guilty and to be judged for breaking Camelot laws and committing high treason against the crown!" the cold and measured voice of the king filled the whole throne room.

Arthur wasn't the only one who looked towards the door as both wings were opened and a small procession came through. He had to fight to keep his face straight and to not let his mask slip for even a second. A white haired man clad in dirty, grey robes was led by the arm of another person clad in earthen common clothes.

The most interesting thing at first, Arthur noticed, was that the man was blindfolded with a red strip of fabric, which was weirdly out of place on his person, as well as the long staff he held in his free hand its end slightly scraping over the floor.

_Was he blind_? It was the first question that came to the princes' mind. He saw the special cuffs on the pair's hands, effectively tying them together as well as suppressing any kind of magic both suspects may, or may not, intend to use. It was unusual that they were chained that way. Normally prisoners were all individually chained and not allowed to have contact to others but Arthur further saw a collar around both suspects' necks. Another tool used for suppressing magic.

The prince of Camelot was further surprised as he found out, when the small group came to stand before the king and himself, that the man who he thought of was old and doggery held a certain aura, the way he held himself and the almost proud steps he took. Arthur couldn't put his finger on it but he was certain that that man was not an ordinary person.

It send silent shivers of shock through the blonde as he remembered his father saying it was a highly dangerous individual which now was brought to its knees before the throne the staff loosely held with his right hand and resting onto the sorcerers right shoulder. The knights never left the sides of the kneeling prisoners.

Uther sat more upright on his throne, Arthur knew he was beyond tense but didn't let it show to the outside. "Prisoners, you know of your crimes and why you were brought before me and this council. Because I deem myself a fair ruler, I grant you the right to now speak your last words to us before you are charged."

A slight murmur was heard at the back of the hall as everyone was curious if the accused made use of this right and what it would be, that they would say. Would the cry, beg or threaten them? Would they beg for mercy or deny being magically involved into anything? Would they try to do magic or something else instead? There was always good material to talk about after these trials.

"I thank you King Uther for hearing our words. My humble self is called Lyriaf and the one next to me is called The Lord of Nature." A pleasant, female voice came from the mouth of the smaller figure dressed in earthen tones.

The prince looked again at the weird pair in front of him as the woman spoke. He found himself looking into hazel brown eyes shining brightly and without fear the woman looked him in the eye and held contact with him.

Arthur was impressed.

Not many commoners dared to do this and even the small uplifted corner of her mouth, as she courtly and barely noticeable nodded to him, seemed outrageous. The short moment was disturbed by the exclamations of the other lords and members of court at the title _Lord of Nature_ echoed through the throne room.

"Silence!" the harsh bellow brought silence immediately.

"What is his reason that he does dare to call himself the Lord of Nature?! Nobody may claim to be so powerful as to reign over it! Or is it because he is a filthy sorcerer, his powers corrupting his being to the very core and whisper with snakes tongue into his ears? Speak sorcerer, and I may give you a fast death!" Uther Pendragon was practically foaming. Not only were they sorcerers but they were presumptuous as to call themselves as something no human could possibly be.

The atmosphere in the room was beyond tense as everybody waited for the answer. The knights all had their hands on the pommel of their swords, some of them had even begun to draw them.

"It is not because he wishes or claims it to be so himself, King Uther, but because it is who he is." The women Lyriaf, an unusual name Arthur thought, spoke up again.

"Be silent I didn't ask for you to answer witch!"

"But I have to. It is my duty to speak for the Lord as he is incapable of doing so himself, less he brings harm to us all for words he does not mean to say."

The sorceress answer incited Uther even more. "What is the meaning of this? Is he a mute or simply dumb or do you use him as a figure for your own evil games to play?!"

These words brought a dangerous glint to the eyes of the witch. Both royals could tell that the woman was deeply angered at these accusations. The knights were even more guarded when they sensed the thickening tension in the air.

"It is as I have said. Because his words hold more power than you will ever possess while you rein _Uther Pendragon_!"

"Are you threatening to overthrow me, witch?!" Uther was now thoroughly enraged himself as his posture became even straighter. Arthur could tell that the king had to restrain himself from ordering their death sentence to be carried out right there and then.

Arthur desperately wanted his father to stay calm and not make a disgrace out of himself, but the prince of Camelot knew his place and he wasn't so foolish as to try and calm his father down. Heck he was afraid his father would disown him if he spoke a word and tried to _defuse_ the situation.

After a little time of an intense starring contest between king and witch, Uther held up his hand to get everyone's attention to focus solely onto him once more.

"We cannot let someone as despicable as you and your _companion _run around and cause havoc to the lands. Magic is evil and to purge it one has to condemn those who use it to show the rest to not give in into its vile darkness and corruption. We have to protect us from it and strife to eradicate it once and for all! It is our duty!"

Uther's eyes were hard and as cold as ice. Arthur was glad that his position was beside the wrathful king and not in his immediate line of sight. He hated to be on the receiving side of his father's glare.

Suddenly a loud, echoing noise of wood smacking onto stone was heard. Like muted thunder it spread through the room and echoed from the walls.

_"__No man, not even the most powerful, may destroy magic as it is who let the world exist!"_

The deep and sonorous voice boomed through the throne room and beyond. It was as if a powerful wave shot through every living thing and carried a strong will with it.

Arthur, still trying to stop his ears from ringing, searched the room for the source. Nearly every other occupant did the same but more or less nervous as the prince, whose hand now gripped the handle of his sword tightly afraid of a new attack.

His eyes almost immediately fell onto the other prisoner in the room. Nobody had looked closely at him at the beginning of the trial, but now more and more eyes were drawn to the figure in grey.

The man had stood up, staff gripped with his right hand. A peculiar aura seemed to twirl about him and Arthur was shocked to find, that somehow all shackles were missing from both individuals. It was as if they disappeared into thin air.

The prince scolded himself for his inattentiveness. It was clear that there were not one, but two highly dangerous individuals in the room. Individuals with strong magic at their hands as the attack and missing shackles where enough evidence to go by.

Even as the room began to calm down the prince pulled his sword free out of its sheath and stepped between the sorcerers and his father.

It brought the attention of the people back to the scene currently playing out in front of them. Not few held their breath and uneasiness slowly began to fill the air again as more and more people noticed the situation unfolding before their eyes.

Neither of the opposite parties moved.

Arthur knew he couldn't allow himself to be distracted by anything again. It could cost his life as well like it would in any battle fought, not just the ones with many participants but in every dangerous situation.  
He slowly exhaled, his blue eyes never leaving his target, and prepared himself to do anything possible to protect his king, his _father_ and all of the others in the room. Hence all of Camelot!

_I see you will become a great man and even greater king in the future, young prince_. Arthur briefly flinched at the unfamiliar voice he heard. He let his eyes wander in short bouts, to try and find the speaker, never really letting the sorcerers out of his sight.

_You do not have to be afraid of us, young prince. We do not mean to harm anyone and are only here to convey our wishes to you._

The blondes' eyes widened ever so slightly as his gaze wholly focused on the odd pair before him. The tip of his sword slightly began to waver.

The sorcerer, bloody old sorcerer was speaking in his mind. Arthur felt his heartbeat race inside his chest. If he was spoken to in his mind what else could the sorcerer trying to do. Had his mind be read? Did he try to alter his memories? Or do something else, maybe enchanting him to turn against his father, the knights? The princes' thoughts threatened to spin out of control.

But before it could come to that, Arthur heard a small whisper like sound. He cautiously hefted his sword a little bit higher, his grip tightening again to hold it steady. The woman beside the old man had begun to speak an incantation, her lips barely making a sound.

_Farewell and may your heart find peace someday. _

And then to his surprise and with just a slight rustle of clothes, both figures vanished into thin air.

o - o - o - o - o

Hello everybody,

**firewings27** here.  
I hope you enjoyed this short idea of mine (it may or may not be referred to/used in another story of mine, I am currently working on).  
If anyone has questions feel free to ask. Reviews of all kinds are always welcome.

Oh... nearly forgot: Merlin does not belong to me! I only take credit for my OC's and storyline.

published: 04/02/20

revised: 18/03/20


	2. Chapter 2

The heavy wooden doors to the chambers slammed shut. Ripping the leather gloves from his fingers and flinging them carelessly in the direction of his changing screen the prince began to pace.

_Damn sorcerers and their trice-damned magic! Why do they have to cause chaos and destruction wherever they go? They all should just go to hell we never did anything to them to start with._

The blond fumbled with the mud caked straps of his vambraces. The happenings in the throne room did not go without further consequences. Uther was furious and ordered to double the guards. He also sent most of the knights out for a full search of the upper and lower town as well as the citadel. Everyone who opposed was to be imprisoned and interrogated.

"Oh you shitty straps, come…!" the prince wildly tugged at the leather, letting small crumbs of earth scatter onto the floor, when he heard a knocking from his door.

"Enter!" the blond barked irritated and turned towards the door which opened at his command.

His manservant came into the room and did a small bow. "Sire" The eyes of Farin…Aldon…no Morris, Arthur finally remembered, were always cast downwards.

"Come here and help me, after that I wish to take a bath." The prince held out his arms waiting for his servant to help him out of his training gear. His thoughts were still circling around the events from what happened half an hour earlier.

The fumbling hands of Morris as the servant struggled to get the wet and muddy buckles to open did not help to raise his mood. But Arthur stayed still until he was out of the chainmail.

"I will shortly return with your bath sire, would you like to take lunch in the meantime?" the brown haired man asked the prince while gathering the pieces of armour into his arms.

"I would like to." It was all that the manservant needed to give another short bow and to leave the chamber. Arthur again started pacing but after a while got to his window and leaned against the wall there, looking down into the courtyard.

He barely noticed the door opening again and Morris returning with his lunch. Only the light clatter of a plate and goblet and the sloshing of it being filled with light wine brought his attention to his desk.

The prince sat down and Morris excused himself to get the bath ready. The lunch consisted of bread, a small cheese wedge, some slices of smoked ham and a sweet tartlet. The gobbled and pincher held watered wine.

_At least he is capable of doing one thing right. _Arthur liked a bit of wine after a tiring training in the rain. It was enough to give him a slight feeling of warmth yet not enough to let him feel inebriated. The blonde let out a sigh. _If it was just training and patrols I would have to go to… _

Morris came back with two buckets of heated water behind him another young servant boy also carried two buckets. Arthur didn't really take notice of them. Both emptied their buckets into the wooden tub and left again.

Arthur munched on the tartlet when Morris came back again, this time alone. "Sire the bath is ready to use. Which tunic would you like to wear afterwards?" he stood proper, both hands held behind his back and an inquiring eyebrow slightly raised.

"The warmer, blue one. Also my leather overcoat I hope you brushed down like I told you." He got up and began to take of his padded training tunic. When he got to the screen he let it fall onto the ground and continued to remove his clothes.

"Certainly." He heard his manservant's voice reply and then the different sounds of opening and closing from his wardrobe.

With a content sight the prince lowered himself into the very warm, almost hot water of the bathtub, and closed his eyes. Morris returned from where he set down the clothing behind the changing screen and picked up the wet one.

"Do you need something else sire?" he inquired arms full of damp linen.

Arthur just waved a hand to dismiss the servant who promptly turned on his heels and left the room. After he heard the small sound of the click of the door closing the blond sank a little bit further into the warm embrace of the water. He could feel how the tension in his muscles was disappearing and let out another sigh into the now still room.

It was sadly just for a short time, that Arthur could forget everything around him. But when the time came and the water considerably turned colder and colder the prince was thrown back to his musings.

_Magic, that cursed magic entrancing sorcerers. Sorcerers…. Why do they even exist? Magic… Why do they allow themselves to have their souls tainted, corrupted with this vile power? How do they… _

Startled, water wildly splashing in the tub, Arthur suddenly sat up an uneasy feeling of dread filled his guts. _What if…_ he didn't want to think further. Faster than the prince did normally and with trembling fingers he put his clothes on.

Grabbing his second sword and sheath from the rack beside his bed he girdled it properly to his side and made his way to the doors.

Just in this moment they swung open and Morris again stepped into the room.

"Morris good timing, when you are finished with clearing the bath the floor needs to be cleaned. You do not need to bring m dinner tonight I am eating with my father. That would be all." And then he was gone so quickly that he didn't hear the affirmation of his manservant.

His wide energetic steps filled the corridors and made the servants and maids going around step aside and softly saying "Sir" or "Milord". The blond prince paid them no heed. His focus was on one goal and one goal only.

"My prince, what is it that brings you into my rooms? Are you unwell?" Gaius the court physician looked up startled when the door to his room was opened rather zestfully.

The prince stopped in his tracks, his mind suddenly became jumbled. To give him more time to answer the physician's question he turned his back towards the aging man and almost gently closed the wooden door.

Arthur slightly sighted to himself and squared his shoulders. He turned and let his feet carry him to the bench beside the worktable. "It is nothing Gaius, you can carry on." The prince waved his hand to the mortar and other herbs lying beside a small cauldron over a dancing flame.

He didn't even want to ask what the mass, bubbling happily inside it, was for. The old man just raised his infamous eyebrow at the rather peculiar behaviour of his prince and grabbed the pestle. Soon the room was filled with the rhythmic sound of the stone pestle and mortar grating against each other.

Arthur watched the work of Gaius. He was still contemplating, hesitating to how he should begin. His thoughts were still running wild.

The young man unconsciously took a deeper breath, the different herbs gave of a calming sense and the light bubbling of the cauldron further helped to relax the blonde.

The sight clinking of the pestle when the physician finished grinding the herbs brought Arthur back from the confusing train of thoughts he had spun in his head.

"Magic is learned through pursuit, right?"

The dull thumping noise of stone on wood was heard. "I beg your pardon?!" Arthur looked at Gaius and saw the elder had not raised one but both of his brows in shock at the sudden question and choice of topic.

The prince and physician held eye contact for a while, neither of them saying a word. The pestle was lying forgotten on the table.

"Arthur?" Gaius began hesitantly. "You know that it is a dangerous topic you venture into?" he was reluctant to speak further.

"I…. know. I don't want anything to know about _it_ it's just….. _it_ is learned because one wants to learn _it_, is it? One does not learn _it_ because a spell was used or… one had contact with people possessing _it_, right?" Gaius heard a supple hint of fear and uncertainty in the prince's voice.

The old man slowly but surely sat down across the prince and gently smiled, his initial surprise settling down. "You do not have to fear Arthur. It is as you say; magic is learned because a person actively seeks out to learn it… _although I wouldn't be surprised if there wouldn't be some quirks of nature just waiting to prove us wrong__here and there_." The last part was left unsaid as Gaius didn't want to scare the prince. He was still somewhat shocked that the blond even came to him, surprising him by asking, and to not looking himself in his chambers and worry about the answers he came up with by himself.

"How did you came to these questions?" the physician's eyebrow began it's ascend once more.

"Is… uhm… you know…." The prince was noticeably uncomfortable with the situation. But after just a short moment of not answering to Gaius' question he squared his shoulders and looked straight at the physician.

"At today's trial in the great hall this sorcerer… spoke to me… I guess…." He trailed off.

"_He_ spoke to you?" the eyebrow reached the highest point. "How did he speak with you? What did he say?" Gaius asked curiosity spiking.

"He… I do not know. The only thig I know is that I suddenly heard a voice telling me that I will become a great king and that I don't have to be afraid… also… he wished that my heart will find peace?" the young man questioningly looked towards Gaius.

"It is certainly unusual… what a curious man…" The physician lowered his gaze in contemplation and looked at the bubbling liquid in the cauldron.

"How is it that he could speak to me without actually speaking, and why was I the only one to hear him? I am not bewitched am I?" the prince once again spouted questions to fast for the physician to answer.

"Be at ease Arthur." Gaius reached out and soothingly laid his hand above the shaking fist of the prince. "I've heard of magic which allows the direct communication through thoughts. I am sure that it does not have any influence on ones thoughts. It just exists to relay messages."

"But I don't have… magic."

"I know and you do not have to. I remember to have read in a book that a powerful sorcerer is able to speak to others via his thoughts. The other party naturally cannot answer because the sorcerer cannot read minds with this method." The physician saw the prince relaxing on the other side of the table.

"So it was not meant to be an attack on me?" now confusion crept into the voice of the young man.

Gaius sighted softly. It was a shame that the royals of the castle nowadays saw magic as evil entity which wasn't capable of being something used for good.

"I do think it was not."

"But before that the sorcerer attacked and even broke himself and his companion free from the special chains! If that was not an attack, how can I be certain that he had no other evil intentions in mind when he spoke to me!?" Arthur's famous temper spiked again.

"We do not know what his motifs where or what he tried to do, but I for one can certainly say that if he wanted to do you harm he would already have done it to you. " Gaius suppressed his irritable thoughts and calmly looked the upset prince in the eye. He sometimes whished that he didn't had to deal with the royals of Camelot.

"If it will calm you, I will look again into my books and find out if my memory served me right. And if you have any further concerns or think something has changed you are certainly welcome to speak to me again sire. But I would like to resume brewing my potion as it is near its critical stage of completion."

The physician stood up again and took a small spoon and carefully began measuring the crushed herbs into the cauldron.

Arthur knew when he was dismissed but was used to it. Gaius was the only person besides his father who could do so, even if it was just in situations like these. Even if the prince knew almost nothing about the art of making potions and only had basic knowledge of herbs he respected the work of the learned man.

So he did not take offense and stood. "I thank you for your time Gaius and will not disturb you any further. Have a nice day." The prince turned on his heels and without waiting for a response or farewell left the physicians chambers.

His thoughts although a little bit calmer know still swirled through his head. He still had a lot to think about.

o - o - o - o - o

I hope you enjoyed reading this two-shot of mine (It is also my first completed "story"). I have looked over my first chapter and added a missing sentence at the end… If you find any mistakes feel free to point those out it would be a huge help.

Also big thanks to **mersan123 **and **Juxshoa** for reviewing the first chapter. I also thank everyone who has followed/favorited the story and in general everyone who has read it. You guys motivated me to write the second one faster than I thought it would take. Thank you very much.

As stated in the first chapter this two-shot will be mentioned/part of another story I am currently writing. It will take some time to publish it so please be patient.

Until we see us next time!

**firewings27**

published: 10/03/20


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